Remote control adjusting device



- p 5, 1939- M. w. KENNEY El AL 2,171,573

REMOTE CONTROL ADJUSTING DEVICE Filed May 24 1957 fiuenZZra' Z3 flahlow Zdfinwfy E1 Geogge Ola/er 5mm Patented Sept. 5, 1939 PATENT OFFICE REMOTE CONTROL ADJUSTING DEVICE Malilon W. Kenney, River Forest, and George Oliver Smith, Chicago, 111.

Application May 24, 1937, Serial No. 144,386

1 Claim.

This invention relates in general to remote control adjusting apparatus with more particular reference to an apparatus for adjusting radioreceivers and the like from a remote point. The invention of this application is an improvement over that disclosed in the co-pending application of Mahlon W. Kenney, Serial No. 104,994, filed October 10, 1936.

It is an object of applicants invention to provide a remote control system of the type shown in said cor-pending application but of greater-simplicity and compactness.

It is a further object of applicant's invention to provide in a remote control device for a radio receiver or the like embodying a station selector, vernier means to adjust the radio receiver or the like independently of the station selector.

It is a further object of applicant's invention to provide a remote control adjusting device for radio receivers or the like wherein the lost motion or back lash in the cable connecting such device to the operated device is eliminated, and wherein suchremote control device embodies a selector mechanism for selecting any one of a certain number of broadcast stations according to their call letters, and additional means for timing the receiver to other than said number of broadcast stations.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing applica'nts invention with certain parts in section.

Fig. 2 is a vertical plan view partly in section taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

In Fig. 2 there is shown a station selector dial plate l having 15 apertures 2 arranged circumferentially, each aperture being of a size to ac-' commodate the index finger of the person desiringto operate the dial. A central opening in the dial plate carries a glass plate 3, behind which is exposed a fixed translucent plate 4.- The plate a 4 carries the usual indicia representing the wave lengths or radio frequencies of radio broadcasting stations. The dial plate I is fastened to a pedestal 5 carried by the radial arms (not shown) of a wheel 6. The wheel 6 is provided with an annular rim 7 connected by said arms to a hub portion rotatably receiving an axle 8. supported in a boss 9 formed in a back plate I0. The back plate may be fastened to any fixed support, for example, the dash of an automobile, and the fixed plate 4 may be secured to the fixed shaft 8 in any desired manner.

The wheel 6 is secured on the axle 8 against endwise movementbyany suitable means (not shown). The annular rim i of the wneel 3 is provided with concentrically arranged sets of apertures II and I2, the apertures I2 lying directly behind the openings 2 in the dial plate I and.

corresponding in number to the number of said openings. Pins I 3, which slidingly engage in the apertures I2, carry on their free ends collars or blocks II to which are fastened translucent cup-like members I5. The mouth of each cuplike member I5 is closed by a translucent plate which is secured to the cup by a metallic ring I6. The translucent covering plates are adapted to carry indications representing the call letters of the radio broadcasting stations most frequently selected by the particular operator, as exemplified in Fig. 2. The pins I3 are each urged by a spring I! toward the dial plate I and in the normal outermost position are restrained against further outward movement by engagement of the flanges of the rim IS with the inner edge of the rear countersunk portions of the openings 2. The'collars I4 are centrally bored at right angles to the pins I3 and through the apertures thus provided there pass the legs I1 01 right angle pins I8. The other legs of the pins I8 slidingly engage in the apertures II in the rim I0 of the wheel 6. The apertures I I may exceed in number the apertures I2 and may be arranged to provide for adjustment of each pin relative to its associated push button as shown in the co-pending application of Mahlon W. Kenney and Andrew A. Gedde, Serial No. 100,156, filed September 10, 1936. Upon inward operation of the push button carrying the call letters of the desiredstation, the pin I8 associated with that push button will be forced inwardly until one end projects beyond the inner edge of the rim I and the wheel 6. The pin I3 will likewise be forced inwardly against the action of the spring H. The dial plate I is then rotated while maintaining the push button in its operated position and the rotation of the dial plate 'I' causes rotation of the wheel 6 which is fixedly secured thereto. As described in the sole application of Kenney heretofore referred to, the, pins I3 may operate contacts to de-energize the loud speaker of the radio during the tuning operation of the selector. The extending ends of pins I8'cooperate with a substantially fixed pin I9 to limit the rotative movement ofthe wheel 6 and dial plate I in'the manner described in said sole application of Kenney.

The rim I of the wheel 6 is formed on its periphery with'gear teeth 20 which mesh with antibacklash gearsZI secured to a collar 22. The collar 22 is secured to a shaft 23 which extends parallel to the axle 8 of the selector and in juxtaposition to saidselect'or. The shaft 23 is journaled in a bearing 24 carried by a bracket 25 fixedly secured to the back plate ill of the selector. The shaft 23 carries at its outer end a manually operable knob 26. The shaft 23 is connected by any suitable conventional coupling to one end of a flexible shaft 21, the other end of which is similarly coupled to a stub shaft 28 carried by the bracket 30, forming the front face of the housing for the usual tuning condensers 3 l The shaft 32 of the tuning condensers carries at its outer end the anti-backlash gears 33 which mesh with a gear 35 carried by the stub shaft 28 between the brackets 29 and 30.

As shown in the drawing, thegear formed by the teeth 20 of the wheel 6 and the gear 33 are larger in diameter than the gears 2| and 35 and therefore there is provided a step-up ratio between the selector mechanism and the flexible shaft and a step-down ratio between the flexible shaft and the tuning condensers for the purpose.

; vernier means for tuning the radio receiver independently of the station selector. Thus it is possible by operation of the auxiliary manually operable means accurately to tune the receiver to stations other than those indicated by the call letters of the station selector.

Changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages, and the right is hereby reserved to make all such changes as fair-- ly fall within the scope of the following claim.

The invention is' hereby claimed as follows:

In a radio apparatus or the like, the combination of a tuning condenser, a rotatable dial plate having a plurality of finger-receiving openings, a shaft, 8. gear rotatably mounted on said shaft and connected to said dial plate, a plurality of station selecting push buttons slidably mounted on said gear and arranged behind the openings in the dial plate, said push buttons carrying indicia representative of certain broadcasting stations, means cooperating with a selected push button to stop the gear anddial plate in their adjusted position, a second rotatable shaft parallel to said first shaft, a second gear mounted on said second shaft and engaging said first gear, a flexible shaft connected at one end to said rotatable shaft, gear means connecting the other end of said flexible shaft to said tuning condenser, said first and second gears having a step-up ratio and said gear means having a step-down ratio for preventing phase displacements between the dial plate and tuning condenser, and a manually operable knob secured to said second rotatable shaft'for rotating said condenser to tune said receiver to any other desired broadcast station.

MAHLON W. KENNEY. GEORGE OLIVER sivn'rn. 

